Big Brother 3: Romance and the Game

Anyone who has read my commentary pieces on Temptation Island, The Bachelor, or Bachelorettes in Alaska knows one thing….

I am an incurable romantic.

I love to see people in love. I get such a kick out of seeing couples holding hands. I love seeing couples walking and sneaking a kiss, holding hands in a movie theater. I don't mind public displays of affection, as long as it's not anything past "first base." (After that, it's "Get a room, dang it!")

I grew up on fairy tales, and yes, I believe in happily ever after. Marriage til death parts 50 years hence, surrounded by children and grandchildren. A Norman Rockwell type family. And yes, I still long and hope for my knight in shining armor to come on his white steed.

That's why I am so happy to see two couples in this year's Big Brother house. It makes me feel good watching them. Eric and Lisa, Chiara and Roddy. All handsome people, the girls tall, willowy, tan brunettes. The men, all built like Greek statues of Adonis. On face value, you would think such handsome people would be superficial and shallow, caring only for themselves. But no. All have revealed themselves as all too human, fragile, and vulnerable to everything in the house.

The girls have surprised me by how hard they have fallen. They seem to have really gotten the bug bad. I am amazed by their candor in the Diary Room, or when they talk among themselves. Both women are strong willed, not given easily to this type of thing. Yet both of them really seem to be wearing their hearts on their sleeves, and have forgotten about the game when they are beside their new beaus. Even Jason noticed it and commented that "Chiara makes Roddy weak. He falls out of Game Mode and into boyfriend mode."

Several people have commented that since Big Brother is a game with ever-changing features, you cannot have real alliances. Unlike Survivor, where an alliance can take you to the final four, Big Brother doesn't work that way. There are no easy "rules" for BB that are set in stone. Survivor has rules - eliminate the weakest when you are competing as a tribe, then the strongest once you get to the merge. In BB, everyone is seen as a threat from the outset. There are no weak members, no strong members. The first to go is usually the one the house finds the most annoying - or at least that's the first one nominated.

But Big Brother really doesn't lend itself to couples. Sure there have been couples in most of the houses. Heck, the U.S. house is one of the few houses that hasn't had a sex act beyond some making out and casual groping take place… yet. There have been matches made in BB houses worldwide, including one that led to a baby a year-and-a-half after they left the house. There was even a marriage performed right after one of the European houses broke up - unfortunately, so did the marriage.

Last year I had a love/hate relationship with Shannon and Will. While I was upset with Shannon's behavior in the house, leading ultimately to the Toothbrush Incident, I knew that whatever feelings she had for Will seemed to be genuine. When she was evicted, Will didn't seem to get over it very well. It was like the wind was taken out of his sails. True, he became a better player - ultimately winning the show. But he seemed to really miss her, which is why I could never really dislike him as much as I wanted to. I am glad they are still seeing each other (well, maybe - there have been rumors both ways and they ain't talking about it).